Suction cleaner



Dec. 15, 1936. D. G. SMELLIE 2,064,388

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 6, 1934 v Un INVENTOR Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES sUcTIoN' CLEANER Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application December 6, 1934, Serial No. 756,217

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to an improved arrangement in a suction cleaner of an electric resistance element required in the cleaner construction. According to the present invention the electric resistance element is mounted so as to have air blown or drawn past it by a fan driven by the suction cleaner motor It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide, in a suction cleaner, a resistance element required in the electrical circuit of the cleaner which is positioned so that a stream of cooling air passes thereover. Another object of the invention is to position an electric resistance element required in the electrical circuit of the' cleaner so that motor cooling air passes thereover. Still another object, is the provision in a suction cleaner, of an electrical resistance element which is positioned relative to the motor casing so that motor cooling air passes thereover after having passed over the cleaner motor to perform its motor cooling function. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate. I

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a motor casing, and

the suction creating fan carried thereby, removed from the suction cleaner and with certain parts broken away to show a resistance element mounted in the casing in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a broken showing of the resistance element per se;

. Figure 3 is a broken bottom view of the construction of Figure 1 showing the resistance element in place;

Figure 4 is a section upon theline 44 of Figure 3; a

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modern suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the pres ent invention;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electrical circuit of the cleaner.

The present invention is applicable to resistance elements which are required for any purpose in a suction cleaner. Such an element may be necessary when the cleaner includes an electric lamp for illumination purposes which requires a voltage lower than the voltage of the incoming leads. In such a case the resistance element maybe connected in series with the lamp. Regardless of the use to which the resistance element is put the invention includesthe positioning of that element in the suction cleaner construction so that the heat which it generates upon the passage of current therethrough is 'removed from the cleaner with a minimum of transference to the cleaner itself.

Referring again to the drawing a modern suction cleaner is illustrated comprising a body which is of a common and well known type. The body includes a nozzle l which is interiorly connected through an air passageway 2 to a fan chamber 3 in which is positioned a suction creating fan 4. An exhaust outlet 5 opens to the fan chamber and there is connected thereto a removable dust bag 6 into which the dirt laden air passing through the cleaner may be exhausted. Upon the fan chamber 3 and positioned immediately thereover is a motor casing indicated generally by the reference character 1. Facing the nozzle l the motor casing I is interiorly recessed at its top to provide'a recessedreflector chamber 8 for an electric light 9. The

light creating construction functions to throw 2 illuminating rays forward of the nozzle i to disclose to the user foreign matter which is positioned upon the surface covering undergoing cleaning. The cleaner body is supported, as in the usual cleaner construction, by front and rear wheels [0 and II and there is also provided a pivoted handle [2 by which the operator can exert the usual propelling force to operate the machine.

Within the motor casing l is positioned the driving motor including a rotating armature l3 and a stationary field I4. In operation the motor functions to drive the suction creating fan I and any agitating means which may be included in the cleaner construction. To insure a desirable motor operating temperature there is provided a rotating fan l5 which is carried by the armature l3 near its lower end and adjacent the common wall I6 between the motor casing and the fan chamber. Fan l5 functions 'to draw motor cooling air into the motor casing I by way of the inlet ports ll, I1 near the upper center of the casing and to exhaust it from the casing through the exhaust ports l8, I8 at the lower peripheral edge thereof. In passing through the motor casing from the inlet port IT to and through the outlet port IS the motor cooling air passes along the armature and the field H to effect a cooling function.

According to the present invention there is provided a resistance element IS in the path of the motor cooling air at a point at which it leaves the motor casing. Element I! may be required in the cleaner construction for a multiplicity of reasons but according to the present embodiment is used as the means or reducing the voltage across the electric light 9. Element 19 comprises a simple resistance unit including a central core 20 of insulating material which may be porcelain, a resistance wire 2i which encircles the cylindrical core 20 for its length and to the ends of which are connected terminal posts 22, 22, and an enclosing protecting insulating covering or coating 23. Resistance element i9 is removably supported in position by screws 24, 24 which extend through the terminal posts 22, 22 and seat within insulated seats 25, 25 carried by the field H of the motor. Leads 26, 26 connect the resistor at its terminals 22, 22 in the circuit of the electric light 9. The element I9 is positioned, specifically, partlyl within the contour of the motor proper, as defined by the outer periphery of the casing where it encloses the motor field, and partly within the removable shroud la which surrounds the motor and forms a pleasing chamfered bottom rim for the casing. The heat given off by the element l9 as current passes therethrough is carried from the shroud la through the ports [8, l8.

The operation of the invention is simple and is believed to be obvious. The cleaner is of the two speed motor type having a common incoming lead connected to one side of the motor, as illustrated in Figure 6, and a high and a low speed connection. Incoming current passes into the cleaner and the armature l3 rotates at high or low speed depending upon the cleaner circuit. Electric current also passes through the circuit of the light 9 and through the resistor is which is connected across one branch of the motor field and the armature 13. The rotation of the armature functions to rotate the main suction creating fan 4 and also the motor cooling fan ii. The motor cooling air entering through the inlet ports l1, l1 passes through the motor and just before leaving the motor casing at the ports l8, l8 passes over the resistance element IS. The cooling air effects the removal of heat from the cleaner motor and also from the resistance element l8 and in view of the sequence of its contact with the motor and the element the heat from the element is not effective to increase the motor temperature.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, an electric motor, an electric light in the circuit of said motor, a motor casing enclosing said motor and provided with inlet and outlet ports upon the opposite sides of said motor, a fan positioned in said casing adapted to draw motor cooling air into said casing by said inlet port and to exhaust it therefrom by said outlet port, and a resistance element in the circuit 01' said light to reduce the voltage thereacross and positioned in the path of the cooling air through said motor and between said motor and said outlet port.

2. In a suction cleaner, an electric motor, an electric light in parallel with at least a part of the circuit of said motor, a resistance in series with said light to reduce the voltage thereacross, a motor casing enclosing said motor and provided with inlet and outlet ports upon the opposite sides of said motor, a fan positioned in said casing adapted to draw cooling air into said casing by said inlet port and to exhaust it therefrom by said outlet port, said resistance element being positioned in the path of the cooling air through said motor and between said motor and said outlet port.

DONALD G. SMELLIE. 

